Lathrop woman victim of scam

LATHROP - Someone impersonating a San Joaquin County sheriff's deputy scammed a woman out of $200 on Monday, authorities said.

The Record

LATHROP - Someone impersonating a San Joaquin County sheriff's deputy scammed a woman out of $200 on Monday, authorities said.

A 48-year-old woman reported that she received a phone call about 9 a.m. from someone who stated he was from the Sheriff's Office. The man told the victim there was a warrant for her arrest and she needed to send money to clear up her warrant, authorities said.

The woman didn't believe the caller and hung up the phone, but about three hours later she was approached at her workplace in the 17000 block of Harlan Road in Lathrop by someone claiming to represent the Sheriff's Office, officials said. The man told the woman he was there to arrest her unless she called a number he provided to clear up her warrant, deputies said.

The impersonator was described as an Indian man about 45 years old with dark hair and dark eyes. He was dressed in a uniform similar to those worn by members of the Sheriff's Office, including a badge, but he did not have a gun, gun belt or radio, deputies said.

He was driving a black Crown Victoria with unknown decals on the side and tinted rear windows, authorities said. The vehicle was not equipped with emergency lighting equipment, spotlights or a push bumper, deputies said.

When the woman called the phone number the man gave her, she was instructed to go to Walmart and put $200 on a Green Dot MoneyPak card, authorities said. MoneyPak cards are reloadable debit cards.

The woman said she was not followed by the man in uniform, but she was told to remain on the phone with the man who answered her call. After placing money on the card, the phone disconnected, and she did not see the uniformed man again, deputies said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lathrop Police Services at (209) 468-4400.